Various types of physical layer management (PLM) technology can be used to track cross connections made at patch panels or other inter-connection devices. Generally, such PLM technology include functionality to obtain information about what is connected to each service port of a patch panel or other inter-connection device and to communicate that information back to a management application. The management application stores the information and makes it available for various purposes (such as tracing connections and carrying out electronic work orders that specify how one or more connections are to be moved, added, or otherwise changed).
One type of PLM technology makes use of an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM) or other storage device that is integrated with or attached to a connector on a cable. The storage device is used to store information about the connector or cable along with other information. The port (or other connector) into which the associated connector is inserted is configured to read the information stored in the EEPROM when the connector is inserted into the port.
Another type of PLM technology makes use of so-called “ninth wire” technology. Ninth wire technology makes use of special cables that include an extra conductor or signal path (also referred to here as the “ninth wire”) that is used for determining which port each end of the cables is inserted into.
Yet another type of PLM technology makes use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and readers. With RFID technology, an RFID tag is attached to or integrated with a connector on a cable. The RFID tag is used to store information about the connector or cable along with other information. The RFID tag can be read after the associated connector is inserted into a corresponding jack or other port using an RFID reader.
While the management application is typically able to automatically discover and connect with the controllers used with these types of PLM technology, the management application is typically not able to determine where the associated patch panel or other inter-connection device is installed. For example, when a new rack (or other cabinet or enclosure) is added to a network, information about where that rack is located (including, for example, a building address and/or room number for the rack) and what equipment is located in each position of the rack must be manually provided to the management application.
Conventional mechanisms for manually providing such information to the management application can be inconvenient to use, error prone, and/or may not capture additional information that may be useful.